WAYS YOU CAN BEAT THE BAY AREA COMMUTE

Penny Popken, SPECIAL TO THE EXAMINER

Published 4:00 am, Sunday, February 16, 1997

1997-02-16 04:00:00 PDT SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA -- DON'T HOLD your breath waiting for Bay Area traffic to improve. You'll pass out long before you pass that big rig that always seems to jackknife during rush hour.

"The congestion people have to put up with isn't going to go away unless people make changes," says Greg Bayol, chief of public affairs for Caltrans. The solo driver in particular "shouldn't look forward to traffic getting any better."

"People should at least try transit or ride-sharing," says Bayol. "They don't have to do it every day to have an effect."

Bayol said that residents of any Bay Area county can call 817-1717 in all four of the region's area codes for ride-sharing help. That number links people with the Traveler Information System, which gives information about traffic and transit.

"We've worked with Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol to develop information on freeways, ride-sharing and transit," says Melanie Crotty, project manager for the system, known informally as Trav Info.

The system will introduce a World Wide Web site with a map of the Bay Area divided into subregions, with color coding - green, yellow and red - to identify traffic congestion. On a bad day, commuters can use the site to try to find other routes or mass transit alternatives to get around problems. Or at least they can call home or the office to warn of possible delays.

"They can be smarter about their trip plans," Crotty says. "We've knitted together a variety of sources. Our high-powered computer system can take a lot of different types of data and can give a summary. We're not perfect yet, but the reviews have been very positive."

Ultimately, Crotty says, commuters may request that they be paged whenever congestion reaches a certain level on their preferred routes so that they can make alternate plans. And someday navigation systems in cars will offer real-time traveler information. For instance, if the system determines that an accident has occurred on the intended route, it will offer alternative routes or direct the driver to the nearest BART station.

"We do have a lot of enhancements coming down the line," Crotty says. "The major objective is to help us manage our transportation system better."

Trying mass transit

Mass transit, of course, is a major component of this system, and experts agree that commuters should at least give mass transit a try.

"If people were to use public transportation one day a week, that would make such a radical difference," says Stan Burford, who has long covered Bay Area traffic on TV and radio for for KGO. "Think of it in terms of taking away a fifth of the traffic."

However, even Burford concedes that carpooling and public transit aren't for everyone. "This isn't Detroit where you check in at 8 and go until 5 and bolt fenders all day."

Flexible work schedules and telecommuting could very well be the salvation of commuters in the next decade, Burford says.

Companies that allow employees to adjust their schedules by coming in earlier or later than usual can have a measurable effect on everyone's commute, most of it very positive. (The exception is the Silicon Valley, where many choose to work four 10-hour days, thereby transforming the Thursday afternoon commute into a carbon copy of the Friday commute.)

Workers who are allowed to telecommute even one day a week could also have a beneficial effect on traffic.

"Take your paperwork home for a day," Burford suggests.

Bayol says that he has joined the ranks of both the carpoolers and those with flexible schedules. He and his wife drive to their Oakland office together from their Daly City home each day, arriving at 7 a.m. Their commute was even quicker before Caltrans moved from San Francisco to Oakland.

Burford says the worst commutes in the Bay Area are in the East Bay and the North Bay. "There's no major crisis on the Peninsula."

He and California Highway Patrol Public Affairs Officer Ernie Sanchez offer these suggestions for various geographic areas:

North Bay

*The commute from Sonoma County through Marin is a killer since U.S. 101 is the only freeway between Santa Rosa and the Golden Gate Bridge. If you find yourself at a standstill on 101, resist the urge to try side streets and country roads. "It's almost always better to sit tight with a cup of coffee," says Burford. "Staying in the stop-and-go flow will get you where you want to go."

*The morning commute through Marin begins earlier than almost anyplace else in the Bay Area; by 5:30 a.m., U.S. 101 is filling up. Consider adjusting your work hours so you start later in the morning.

*Taking Golden Gate Transit from Santa Rosa to San Francisco is infinitely preferable to enduring this hair-raising commute.

*Stay in the right lane of the freeway. Yes, this is where cars are merging onto the freeway, but it's also where they are exiting. Burford's observations have shown that the right lane tends to move most quickly. This is especially noticeable when he's heading south onto the Golden Gate Bridge. "Halfway up the Waldo Grade, get into the right lane. The lanes merge from the left, so - landslides aside - the right-hand lane is better."

East Bay

*Interstate 80 from the Carquinez Bridge to Berkeley can be especially heavy during commute hours. Consider San Pablo Avenue, which runs parallel to I-80, as an alternative. Yes, there are traffic lights, but if I-80 is blocked you'll almost always make better time.

*Check out the new Richmond Parkway between Hilltop and the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge along the edge of the Bay. This little-known route has virtually no traffic.

*If you live in Contra Costa County and don't take BART at least once a week, you're ignoring a legitimate time-saver.

*If you live in eastern Contra Costa County and are heading for the Bay Bridge, consider taking Highway 4 to Interstate 80 rather than Interstate 680 to Highway 24. There's generally less traffic on Highway 4, however it's a good idea to listen to radio reports and take the route without any reported accidents.

*Interstate 680 through Walnut Creek can be a killer, so if you're heading from Concord to San Ramon - or vice versa - try taking Pacheco Boulevard, which runs parallel to I-680 through Walnut Creek.

*From Pittsburg, Kirker Pass Road is a good bet for getting to Walnut Creek. Sure, it has heavy traffic, but it's better than being stuck on I-680 or Highways 4 and 242.

*Interstate 580 through the Altamont Pass is occasionally blocked by accidents. If this is the case, try taking Old Altamont Road or Patterson Pass Road to get between Livermore and Tracy or Stockton.

*Between Livermore and Pleasanton, Stanley Boulevard is a good alternative to I-580.

*The huge influx of commuters from Livermore to the South Bay has created havoc on southbound I-680 in the morning. One good alternative is to take Highway 84 (Vallecitos Road). "It saves all the aggravation of coming through Pleasanton," says Burford.

South Bay

"The saving grace is that there are so many freeways," says Burford. Still there can be problems during peak hours.

*When U.S. 101 backs up between San Jose and Gilroy, consider taking the Old Monterey Highway (which roughly parallels 101).

*The relatively new Highway 85 is a good way to get from Interstate 280 to 101 (and vice versa) while avoiding downtown San Jose.

The Peninsula

*Whenever given the choice of taking either U.S. 101 or Interstate 280, opt for I-280. There's rarely traffic and it's a much more scenic and relaxing drive. If there are problems on 101 and I-280, consider El Camino Real, which runs parallel to 101.

Downtown San Francisco

*Burford describes commuting through downtown San Francisco as "a chess game any day of the week. My advice today would not work tomorrow." Your best bet is to listen to radio traffic reports and drive accordingly.

*When heading south out of downtown, forgo I-280 for U.S. 101. Though 101 has heavier traffic, you save time by getting off the city streets.

*If you hit heavy traffic while driving north into downtown, consider exiting U.S. 101 at Army or Vermont streets and taking Potrero Avenue downtown.

Winter commuting tips

*Reduce your speed when it's raining or wet. While this may seem logical, the CHP's Sanchez says many drivers still think it's OK to drive 65 mph regardless of conditions. Bear in mind that you can be ticketed for driving 55 or 60 if the CHP believes those speeds are excessive for the road conditions.

*Turn on your headlights during inclement weather. The level of light on dreary days actually mimics dusk or dawn. You could be ticketed for driving with your headlights off at noon on a stormy day, says Sanchez.

*Always signal when changing lanes during wet weather, even when there are no vehicles immediately behind you. You need to take into consideration that wet pavement will necessitate a much greater stopping distance should other vehicles need to brake.

*Try to reduce use of your cellular phone during rainy weather. "Conversation diverts your attention," says Sanchez. It's especially important to keep both hands on the steering wheel while driving on wet pavement, he adds. You could be cited by an officer for having one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding your phone.

*If weather and road conditions are less than optimal, adjust your commute time. "People wake up at the same time, leave at the same time and expect to get to work at the same time," says Sanchez. If weather's bad, leave home a little earlier.&lt;

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